summary and reponse of A View from Mount Ritter

Summary:

The article, A View from Mount Ritter, is written by Joseph T. O’Connor. In it, the author tells an event that alters his attitude to his life. He describes the event first, and then explains his feeling at that time. Finally, he reflects on the importance of the event.
The author uses conversation to express his two-week long mountain journey in northeastern California and specific words to show how the event impressed him. The uncommon thing happened on second-week Tuesday. The weather changed in every minute. Before they found a shelter, the lightening struck closely to the author. As he tried to evade the lightening, the hailstones dropped around him. Then, the all day long pouring rain let author experience his worst night building their tents in cold and darkness and stay awake all night.
When he recalled his two-week trip in California, it’s still quite clear in his mind. He thought it as his most unforgettable and impressive adventure. The journey also changed his perspective to his later life.
The author uses some quotes to explain the significance of his expedition. In the past, he did not have a goal about his life. He refused to accept others suggestions. Later, he found he was wrong before and agreed what others said. He decided to work hard and reach his goal to attend the college in California.
Because of his adventure in California, he gained new ways to view his life. He began to work hard. He realized the importance of his later life and knew to cherish it until he had suffered in his journey.

Response:

The author A View from Mount Ritter uses vivid and specific adjectives to describe his expedition on the top of Mount Ritter. It makes me feel that I am like in the same situation as him and experience the terrible night. By his detailed description, I can easily picture the image about what he had faced in the two-week long journey. He clearly tells how close the lightening was going to strike him at that moment. Also, how unobvious for them to recognize the change of the weather. He effectively uses conversation to increase the fluctuation of the event.
Then, he tells us his feeling at that time. As he recalls the journey, he finds the cause of his worst night because that people might easily forget to take natural conversion into consideration. On the other hand, the event also stimulates him strongly and changes his attitude to his later life.
Finally, he uses quotes and examples to express the significance of the event. Most of teenagers might also undergo similar period of time like the author. When people were young, they pretend they are mature enough to make a decision. They ignore the suggestions and lesson that elder people have told them. Either parents or teachers try to tell them the smoothest road. I strongly agree the quote written by Jonathan Harker in his journal. It says, “No man knows ‘till he has suffered from the night how sweet and how dear to his heart and eye the morning can be.” In our daily life, we tend to regard people around us and things we own as air. We easily forget to appreciate them until one day we lose them. However, we don’t have to suffer similar situation like him to realize that we should cherish people surround us. We can learn this lesson from the article and begin to put it into practice right now.